SynthesisBMC pulmonary medicine2022
Diagnostic accuracy of interferon-gamma release assays for diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC pulmonary medicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- How to diagnose TB in migrants? A systematic review of reviews and decision tree analytical modelling exercise to evaluate properties for single and combined tuberculosis screening tests.The European respiratory journal · 2025Pooled it
- Diagnostic utility of quantitative interferon-gamma release assays in elderly patients with tuberculosis.Microbiology spectrum · 2026Article
- Clinical and Laboratory Discriminators for Tuberculosis and Lymphoma in Adults Presenting with Fever of Unknown Origin: A Prospective Cohort Study.International journal of general medicine · 2026Article
- Application Research of Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Technology Based on Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Drug-Resistance Detection.Infection and drug resistance · 2026Article
- Diagnostic accuracy study of STANDARD TB-Feron FIA and STANDARD TB-Feron ELISA tests for tuberculosis infection diagnosis in Eastern European setting.Journal of clinical tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases · 2025Article
- Clinical Utility of Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Prognostic Nutritional Index in Diagnosing Smear-Negative Pulmonary Tuberculosis with Negative IGRA Results.Infection and drug resistance · 2025Article
- Retrospective analysis of the clinical utility of multi-cytokine profiles in smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis.Saudi medical journal · 2024Article
- Evaluation of Nanopore Sequencing for Diagnosing Pulmonary Tuberculosis Using Negative Smear Clinical Specimens.Infection and drug resistance · 2024Article
- Portable paper-based electrochemiluminescence test incorporating lateral-flow immunosensors for detection of interferon-γ levels.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPTB) is challenging. Interferon gamma-release assays (IGRAs) may be helpful in early diagnosis among these patients resulting in prompt treatment and favorable outcomes.
methodsWe performed a comprehensive search from each databases' inception to April 5, 2021. The studies that provided sufficient data regarding the sensitivity and specificity of IGRAs included QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT), T-SPOT.TB, or QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus for diagnosis of SNPTB were included.
resultsOf 1,312 studies screened, 16 studies were included; 11 QFT-GIT, 2 T-SPOT.TB, and 3 QFT-GIT and T-SPOT.TB. For diagnosis of SNPTB, QFT-GIT had sensitivity of 0.77 (95% CI 0.71-0.82), specificity of 0.70 (95% CI 0.58-0.80), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 8.03 (95% CI 4.51-14.31), positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 2.61 (95% CI 1.80-3.80), negative LR of 0.33 (95% CI 0.25-0.42), and area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 0.81 (95% CI 0.77-0.84). T-SPOT.TB had sensitivity of 0.74 (95% CI 0.71-0.78), specificity of 0.71 (95% CI 0.49-0.86), DOR of 6.96 (95% CI 2.31-20.98), positive LR of 2.53 (95% CI 1.26-5.07), negative LR of 0.36 (95% CI 0.24-0.55), and AUROC of 0.77 (95% CI 0.73-0.80). The specificity seemed lower in the subgroup analyses of studies from high tuberculosis burden counties compared to the studies from low tuberculosis burden.
conclusionIGRAs do have insufficient diagnostic performance for SNPTB. However, the tests are still helpful to exclude tuberculosis among patients with low pre-test probability. Registry: PROSPERO: CRD42021274653.
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